Newbie Tuesday Roundup: Looking forward in 2014

Do you have any chocolate left? Do you? Are there still mince pies floating around egging you on to a final couple of weeks of indulgence before you kick-start the new regime? I must admit to having hung onto Christmas for as long as possible, even having a giggle at this photo from Dad’s Diary – he must be the only person ever to have blogged on Christmas Day! And for all you Elf on the Shelf haters, you are going to love this letter to the Elf from Make Me an Earth Mother. Absolutely hilarious!

Personally I’m still blithely trudging through my stollen and adding Cointreau-laced cream to my lattes – can’t bear waste! But most of you are looking forward. I’ve seen a lot of posts about the new year, and I especially liked Goals for 2014 by Tattooed Lady with a Baby. I’ve added ‘reading more’ to my own list of things to do in 2014, and I’m more than a little intrigued by her intentions to visit a psychic medium! I’ll be watching her year with fascination! At Toby Goes Bananas, one of the resolutions is to keep blogging. I’m slightly alarmed at the mere possibility that she may not (?!). Go and show her some love and give her extra reasons to keep going!

A lot of us put getting fitter on our resolutions list, and I’m looking forward to my stint in in the Team Honk Relay for Sport Relief. My perennial excuse of limited time is beginning to sag around my bra straps, and I’m beginning to suspect that I need an imperative to make me get out there. An imperative that doesn’t involve a bikini, because let’s face it, there are so many ways around that problem that don’t involve running. The Bug is forever nagging me for a dog, and new blog Parent Shaped is making me wonder if he doesn’t have a point. Penny’s new running partner is a Greyhound, and those guys won’t cuddle up on the sofa until they’ve been for a walk. Drastic measures, my friends, but watch this space.

It’s also the time of year when we start to crave a holiday. I booked my summer holiday on the 29 December this year, I was so in need of the promise of sun. I’m kicking myself a bit though, having seen this homage to Syros, in the Greek islands. It’s not long, but within seconds of my visit to A Mum in London I was craving the blue and white landscape of Mediterranean villages. Shame really. I booked a caravan in Bognor…

Also on the subject of holidays, A Beautiful Space is talking about her Dream Destination. Montana is not somewhere I’ve ever considered, but it inspired me to think about the most beautiful place I’ve ever visited, and I’m guesting there this week. Becky is still keen to hear other people’s dreams so if you have a stunning photo of a gorgeous place to share, do take a look at her blog and get in touch.

With the wind and rain giving me a personal car-wash experience every time I step out of the door this week, I’m on the lookout for activities to curb the cabin fever that has developed over Christmas in GG and The Bug. Is it just me, or are children delightful on their own, and hideous when paired with a sibling? I swear I cut my losses and became the biggest bickerer yesterday! Anyway, I’m delighted to have discovered Activities 4 Kidz. Rachel is a former teacher with a thing about healthy food and fun activities for her toddlers, and I was taken with this Paper Mache Pizza for kids to make. There’s some hearty comfort food over there too, for when you just need to retreat for, you know, an hour or two 😉

Now a call out to any of you who have ever suffered with anxiety. Six Degrees of Harmony has a very frank and scary account of how she began her relationship with anxiety, and could do with some tips. She sounds to be handling it very sensibly to me, but as with all of these things, extra input is always helpful, and a supportive word from a stranger can be all that someone needs. Go see if you can help.

So, how about you? What are you looking forward to in 2014?

About Helen Wills

Helen Wills is a mum of 2 children in primary school and blogs at Actually Mummy on parenting issues, school, travel, and life according to the kids. Since starting her blog in 2011, Helen has won 2 national awards, and puts a lot of her success down to the amazing online community of bloggers at BritMums. As her children grow older, her writing is increasingly influenced by their opinions, and her blog reflects this drive to get the most out of family life. Helen works from home in copywriting and social media. She is on Twitter @actuallymummy.